1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of vacuum cleaners, and in some embodiments, to a path-conversion valve assembly for a vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of upright-type vacuum cleaners, a path-conversion valve assembly has already been widely used, which diverts a path for drawing in dust-laden air. In particular, an automatic path-conversion valve assembly controls the air path so that a vacuum force is transmitted to a hose when a main body of the vacuum cleaner is in an upright posture to clean an irregular surface such as a curtain (hereinbelow, referred to as ‘hose mode’), and to a brush assembly when the main body is bent to clean an even surface such as a floor (hereinbelow, referred to as ‘brush mode’).
Examples of path-conversion valve assemblies that open and close an air-intake path formed in a brush assembly are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,732,439 and 6,536,074. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,586 discloses a path-conversion valve assembly for diverting an air path depending on whether an extension nozzle is connected to a socket formed at one side of the main body. However, the foregoing conventional path-conversion valve assemblies generally have complicated structures, thereby increasing manufacturing costs and requiring additional maintenance.